Equilibrium
by Breezeh
Summary: The effects of the Twolegs' demolition of the forest, told from an apprentice's eyes. -oneshot/drabble-


Balance

_**Disclaimer: **_**Credit to Dark Magician Girl Aeris's story, which gave me the idea for this, although the words are out of my own imagination and I did not plagiarize. I'm pretty sure she doesn't mind me using this idea. **

**Before reading on, know that this is really angsty and somewhat disturbing, and I have rated it accordingly. **

_Balance._ _A well-proportioned and harmonious state of equality and stability. _

The forest was once in a well-proportioned and harmonious balance. 

How did it begin…I cannot even remember. Oh yes…

It began with the poisoning of the rabbits on WindClan territory. The cats became sick from rabbits that had eaten the Twoleg poison. Many died, and the ones who survived were weakened and were driven easily out of their camp. They settled in abandoned rabbit dens, hungry, cold and full of despair. 

The Twolegs then moved forward—to ThunderClan territory. I will never forget the terror that coursed through me as their monsters ravaged the camp, tearing trees from their roots and crushing our dens beneath their hard, round paws. A silence spread over ThunderClan and no one dared say a word. We were speechless in horror and grief. The Twolegs had taken from us our home, and we knew we could never again return. 

We moved to the Sunningrocks. I remember the many nights I spent in the sharp, cold rocks. Prey was scarce. The queens barely had enough food and the elders died of starvation. Ferncloud could not even produce milk for her kits. 

And the death. Sunningrocks reeked of it. I saw the frozen look of grief and despair etched on Dustpelt and Ferncloud's faces as they dragged the cold body of Hollykit to be buried. Even the dirt in which the tiny body was buried was cold. 

ShadowClan was next to be driven out. As they entered our camp, mud-splattered and blood-stained, I said nothing and stepped aside to allow them to enter. Firestar's face was creased with lines of fear and animosity as he said quietly to Blackstar, his voice barely reaching above a whisper, "You can stay." 

Now I watch, thick rain pelting down on me, as Shrewpaw is buried before me. I cannot resist wailing out in anguish as I stare down at the tom I had loved for my whole life. Soon, I hear my wail joined by others, and although I cannot tell to whom they belong, they speak of the same loss and despair. 

My fur is caked with dirt and stained with blood as Firestar leads us to Fourtrees. My body is stiff, inside and out. I have become a stone—unfeeling and cold. It occurs to me that I do not care anymore what happens. I will just join Shrewpaw in StarClan. 

Thornclaw steps beside me and touches his nose to my flank, but does not say a word. His grief speaks for itself. It glimmers in his amber eyes as he looks at me, and then back at is own dingy pelt. 

I part the bushes before me and step out into the clearing, but then freeze. 

The Great Rock—our Great Rock—the symbol of the forest's equilibrium—lay on its side across the clearing, streaked with mud and broken down the middle. 

My heart tears in two. A tear rolls down my cheek, wetting the stone that I have become. I drop to the ground and wail like a kit. Thornclaw rests his tail on my shoulder, but I do not care or even notice. 

Firestar, his face etched with sorrow, touched his tail to the fallen rock. "We cannot resurrect it." 

Many days after, as all four Clans stand at the Highstones, another tear rolls down my cheek. I stare out over the great expanse of trees that was once my home, and realize that the forest will never again regain its equilibrium. 

How could the Twolegs be so cruel to take so many lives without even flinching? 

Does our security and balance mean nothing to them? 

As I recall the events in my mind, I remember, with a stinging grief, our old forest, the laws laid down by StarClan and the peace and harmony that we had once had. 

It frightened me how one simple event could lead to the destruction of everything. 

One, tiny disruption and our equilibrium crumbled away to 

Nothing. 

**That was really angsty and kind of depressing. The ending particularly. You weren't actually supposed to know who was narrating, but I made it kind of obvious with the Shrewpaw part. **

**Yes, I know the events are out of order! It's been a long time since I read ****Dawn****. Plus just seemed more meaningful this way. **

**And, yes, I was trying to make a point by writing this. It's not just a random one-shot that I wrote because I was bored. Hopefully it holds a deeper meaning than that. **

**Whether you thought it was a piece of crap or good, review! Some concrit would be nice. I probably have some grammar and spelling errors in there. **

**xx-The Breeze-xx**


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